BATMAN:  The Legacy Begins!

History of Batman

The Adventures Of Batman were shown in a half hour show that aired two approximately 12 min cartoons, one a Batman cartoon and the other a Batman And Robin cartoon. They were made by Filmation and the series premiered September 13, 1969. In 1966 this cartoon series started out as The New Adventures of Superman. The second season in 1967 was called The Superman-Aquaman Hour of Adventure. In 1968 the third season brought another change to the show by dropping Aquaman and adding Batman, becoming The Batman-Superman Hour, which was cancelled adfter one season. In 1976-77 Filmation Started a new cartoon series starring Tarzan, called Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle. The next year (77-78) they brought back Batman and teamed it with Tarzan as the Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour. The third season changed it again by keeping Batman and calling it Tarzan and the Super 7.
Batman the Animated Series came out in 1992 by Warner Bros. Animation  This led to a new style of animations called "dark deco" which used dark backgrounds.   This new series brought in new characters to the scene and gave some of the old characters a newer, hipper look.  This series of Batman ran till the fall season of 1995 with a total of 85 episodes.
After that season they started rerunning Batman:TAS episodes under the The Adventures of Batman & Robin banner. After another half season Fox started showing reruns all week again, and the final 5 episodes not released were finally released bringing the series up to 85. A then came another new series, The New Batman Adventures began, later compiled with Superman episodes for the Batman-Superman Adventures. Finally, a new, futuristic Batman (not Bruce Wayne, although he is the character's mentor) was given a series called Batman Beyond as Terry McGinnis donned the Bat-suit.

Bruce Wayne's, Batman's, dedication to fighting crime came about when his parents were brutally murdered .  One night, in his father's study, Bruce Wayne relives the horror of his parents' death. Suddenly, in a terrifying flash of blackness, the window is shattered by a large, black bat. In that moment, Bruce Wayne's destiny is determined. He would become the night... he would become the Batman. Bound by his personal code of justice, Batman resolves to never kill an enemy. Instead, he relies on his physical prowess and mental superiority to bring his enemies to justice.

In the near-future Bruce Wayne is no longer Batman, having retired after using a gun to defend himself. He has sold his company to Derek Powers and it is now Wayne/Powers Industries. An employee of the company named Warren is killed by the Jokerz(Street-gang followers of the Joker). Terry McGinnis, a student at Hamilton Hill High, is chased through the streets of new Gotham City by the Jokerz, after trying to protect a friend from their harassment. Reaching trhe outskirts of Gotham City, young McGinnis loses control of his high-tech cycle and is surronded by the malicious J-Man and his entourage. Fortunately for McGinnis, this occurs outside the gates of Wayne Manor. Bruce Wayne saves him and after aiding the elderly Wayne back inside, Terry accidently finds the Batcave(It was an omen, a bat was trapped in the clock that hid the stairway that Alfred used). When Bruce looks at Terry's disk he finds out it could send Powers away for a long time. He tells Terry to take it to Commissioner Gordon, but he gets stopped before he can get there. Terry gets free and breaks into Wayne manor, stealing the Batsuit and becoming Batman to deal with the bad guys. Bruce turns off the suit so Terry has no power, but turns it back on when Terry is almost killed. Terry goes after his father's killer and gets his revenge. Bruce hires Terry to "run errands and assist him with things".

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Gotham Guardians

Gotham's Criminal Element

As a boy, Bruce Wayne witnessed his parents' gruesome murder by gunman named Joe Chill and vowed revenge against all who broke the law. As a young adult, he worked to fulfill this vow by traveling the world to learn from masters of various defense disciplines. Eventually he became an exceptional escape artist, master of martial arts, acrobatics, science, technology, boxing, disguises, criminology and detective skills. Having perfected his skills, Bruce Wayne is prepared to embark on his mission. But one thing eludes him -- the ability to strike fear in the hearts of the criminals he will confront while protecting his true identity.

One night, in his father's study, Bruce Wayne relives the horror of his parents' death. Suddenly, in a terrifying flash of blackness, the window is shattered after being struck by a large, black bat. In that moment, Bruce Wayne's destiny is determined. He would become the night... he would become the Batman. Bound by his personal code of justice, Batman resolves to never kill an enemy. Instead, he relies on his physical prowess and mental superiority to bring his enemies to justice.

During the day, Bruce Wayne is CEO of Wayne Enterprises and maintains the public image of a millionaire playboy. In fact, Bruce goes to great lengths convincing others that the self-centered socialite is his true self. Bruce Wayne is the disguise, Batman is the true personality.

The Animated Series finds Gotham City in urban chaos, dark and gloomy as the criminals who inhabit it. The city cries out for justice -- not the kind that comes from the police, but from a man who wears a mask. Batman is Gotham City's "Dark Knight" and will stop at nothing to restore order to the city and protect it's citizens.

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Bound together by the tragedy they share, Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson's lives are distinctly similar. As part of the traveling circus's high wire act "The Flying Graysons," Dick Grayson witnessed his parents' death while they performed at the Haley Circus. A two bit extortionist, Tony Zucco, cut the wire to gain kickbacks from the circus owner. Bruce Wayne, who was in the audience, felt an instant connection to the boy and took him in.

Shortly thereafter, Grayson became the ward of Bruce Wayne. Wayne provided him with a home, solid financial support and taught him new skills, adding to his tremendous gymnastic abilites. Eventually, Bruce Wayne allowed Grayson access to his most private world as his partner, Robin.

Dick Grayson attends Gotham State University causing him to spend less time as his alter ego. But thanks to semester breaks, Dick returns to Wayne Manor where he dons his famed red and green costume(red and green was the colors of The Flying Graysons) whenever the need arises.

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Barbara Gordon, daughter of police Commissioner James Gordon, is a college student attending Gotham State University. When Two Face sets up her father for taking bribes from Rupert Thorne, Barbara enlists the help of Batman to appear at a public rally for the Commissioner. When Batman dismisses the idea of making a "public appearance" Barbara takes matters into her own hands -- Barbara Gordon dresses in a Bat costume and attends the rally herself! When Robin spots the impostor, he chases after her. Grabbing the back of her cowl, he reveals her fiery red hair and thus "Batgirl" was born. With her gymnastic ability and innovative detective work she gains the respect of Batman and Robin. Barbara is similar in age to Robin, and the two share a flirtatious relationship.

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Butler to the Wayne family, Alfred Pennyworth has known Bruce Wayne most of his life. After the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne, Alfred became a second father to Bruce and is one of the few who are privy to the secrets contained beneath Wayne Manor. In addition to his duties as Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred tends to much of the high tech gadgetry in the Batcave, and is an expert mechanic. Once an agent for the British Secret Service before joining the Wayne household, Alfred is the voice of reason for the often emotional Batman and Robin. Although he openly voices his opinion about his employer's nocturnal activities, he also believes that their cause is a just one.

Alfred maintains Bruce's daily routine with the utmost attention to detail. His humor is also helpful to Batman who admittedly can be too serious. Jokes not withstanding, Alfred is firmly committed to Batman and his mission. Always vigilant at Wayne Manor while Batman patrols the Gotham night, Alfred minds the phones and gates, covering Bruce Wayne's tracks. Alfred is also a father figure for Dick Grayson when Wayne is not available. Dick looks upon Alfred with great respect, love, understanding and admiration for his loyalty.

Batman trusts and confides in James Worthington Gordon. The Gotham PD is crawling with crooked men. Gordon is an honored police officer and father of Barbara Gordon. Through devotion and remaining an honest cop among mass corruption, Gordon rose through the ranks to Lieutenant, and ultimately to Commissioner. Even though Gordon does not know the identity of the man under the mask, Batman and James Gordon share a special friendship. Their secret meeting places to discuss strategies and criminals have become a mainstay in their relationship. Although Gotham City embraces Batman, Gordon is still chastised for relying on the Dark Knight over those with the legal authority in Gotham . . . but Gordon wouldn't have it any other way.

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Selina Kyle has always had a thing for cats. She is a sophisticated, yet vengeful woman who is both as beautiful as she is deadly. Selina Kyle is a strong animal rights activist. However, as Catwoman she often takes matters into her own hands. This brings her into conflict with Batman. Catwoman has a somewhat different relationship with Batman than the rest of his rogues gallery. She is attracted to Batman and he shares that attraction in return. However, the law separates the two from anything more. It should be noted that while Catwoman and Batman have had their encounters, so have Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne.

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Next to nothing is known about Batman's greatest enemy, except that he operated as an enforcer/hitman for various crime bosses before becoming the "Clown Prince of Crime." The Joker first encountered Batman during a botched robbery at the Ace Chemical Factory. He escaped by leaping into a drainage vat of chemical waste, but later discovered the toxins bleached his skin chalk white, dyed his hair fluorescent green, and stretched his lips into a hideous, permanent red grin. It's not hard to understand why such a transformation snapped his already unstable mind.

The Joker's methods are simple: gain pleasure in breaking every law and moral stature known to man. More importantly, he makes the crime funnier by playing a game of cat and mouse with Batman. Joker views every crime, infliction of pain, and murder as the ultimate joke -- mocking Batman. Joker's trademarks are his razor sharp playing cards and the laughing gas Smilex, a chemical that infects his victims with the same ghastly grin as his own.

Extremely intelligent despite his lunacy, the Joker often accesses information within Gotham City that should only be available to government officials and the police. His only real motive is bringing Batman as close to the edge as possible. Joker strives to outdo Gotham's other villains as well, for if they have the honor of doing Batman in then he has no purpose. To The Joker Gotham is merely a stage on which he performs.

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Harlene Quinzelle was a brilliant and successful criminal psychiatrist. After encountering the criminal mastermind, The Joker, at Arkham Asylum, Harlene develops a fascination with the madman's maniacal psyche. She begins to treat him, only to find herself completely under The Joker's control. Unable to break his hold on her, Harley enters a world of crime as The Joker's criminal accomplice and lover, Harley Quinn.

Harley quickly becomes one of the Dark Knight's deadliest enemies, as she carries out The Joker's every evil whim. She develops a villainous friendship with Poison Ivy and the two become sisters-in-crime by virtue of their shared hatred for male domination in the criminal underworld.

Although her true personality has been subjugated by The Joker, beneath it all Harley remains a sweet lovable person. Upon her arrest, she is deemed mentally unbalanced and sent to Arkham Asylum - not as the brilliant doctor she once was, but as one of Gotham's criminally insane on the other side of the padded cell.

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Born with a short, wobbly body and a bird like nose, Oswald Cobblepot's appearance made him an outcast in his rich, debutante family. Their rejection drove him to become violent criminal. In keeping with his family's tradition of wealth, the Penguin lives a life of crime and evil, yet executes it with his own self proclaimed high society class and style. He commits crimes with the theme of the various birds he loves. Unlike most of the "Rogues Gallery," The Penguin is in control of his own actions and perfectly sane, creating a unique relationship with his arch enemy Batman. The Penguin's trademark are the various deadly umbrellas he uses to execute his evil plans.

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Edward Nygma was a computer and electronics genius who was fascinated with puzzles and riddles since childhood. Extremely intelligent and a bit odd., he would cheat at school and feel superior to his classmates. Nygma's obsession and love for committing crimes lead him to don the guise of "The Riddler." Edward's transformation allows him to lose all sense of reality. He becomes completely wrapped up in the evil and criminal behavior which is warping his mind. He needs to be the Riddler to truly express the real Edward Nygma, in turn completely separating himself from any normalcy he once had. The Riddler uses a vast array of computer and electronic gizmos in his arsenal, but is best known for the lethal use of his "?" cane. It is his trademark. When his plans are ultimately foiled by Batman, The Riddler's hatred turns to an obsession to outwit and ultimately destroy Batman. His hatred is fueled by the surprising intellect Batman posses, which leads to his solving of Edward's riddles. His twisted mind is only concerned with creating the ultimate riddle related crime, which Batman can never solve.

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Jonathan Crane was interested in the study of human fears and phobias ever since he was a child. Nicknamed the "Scarecrow" as a teenager, Crane was bullied and chastised for his scrawny appearance. The boys would call him Icabod Crane, for his resemblance to the fictional character. Crane loved the character, except when he came upon the part when Icabod is disgraced by his nemesis. He was outraged by the fear that overwhelmed Icabod and swore to never expose his fears to a bully.

Crane was a Professor of Psychology at Gotham State University until his experiments in fear became too dangerous. He lost his job due to his obsession with inspiring terror in his patients and students. Crane turned to a life of evil and used various drugs, chemicals, devices, and his expertise in psychology to terrify whomever crossed his path. He took the name "Scarecrow" which the bullies gave him as a boy, and would use it to become one of the most feared criminals in Gotham.

The Scarecrow has been known to pollute Gotham's water supply with his fear toxins, infect professional athletes with his chemicals, then bet against their teams for the money to fund his evil experiments. He even had one of his henchmen spray Batman with his toxin, in the hope of driving him mad with fear. A sick and twisted man, his ultimate goal of crippling Gotham State University was foiled by Batman. He was sentenced to Arkham Asylum where he became even more dangerous by gaining criminal contacts with the likes the Mad Hatter, who also shares a sick interest in various types of mind control. These contacts would aid him in his quest to bring Gotham and Batman to it's knees with fear.

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Once Gotham City's distinguished District Attorney, Harvey Dent was known as a true guardian of law and order. On the cusp of apprehending mob boss Rupert Thorne, Thorne learned of Dent's other side and knew if it was exploited it could ruin Dent's career. When a fight ensued between Dent and Thorne's men, a freak explosion destroyed the left side of Dent's body. The trauma was powerful enough to force his alternate personality to dominate, and left Harvey in a state where right and wrong no longer held any meaning.

He becomes Two Face. He feels as though this is the way he was meant to be, living in a world of chaos, without the order and justice he once upheld and believed in. His world revolves around chance, more importantly the flip of his coin. It is no ordinary coin as it is double sided, clean on one side, and covered by scars on the other. Every decision Two Face makes falls on the flip of his coin. It is judge, jury and executioner. When the "Good Heads" turns up Harvey is in control. When it's "Bad Heads" however Two Face shines and becomes more dominant than Harvey can ever be. Yet there always seems to be a piece of Harvey which is strong enough to linger within the mind of Two Face when he is committing his ungodly acts. However, Two Face is the dominant personality.

Favorite Links:

Batman vs. Superman

Batman Beyond

Adam West

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Contact Info:

The Batcomputer

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